Student’s Residence, Lisbon2014

Students’ Residence, Lisbon 2014

This competition proposal for the Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal has its starting point on the relation with its context. In first place, the objective is to connect two different urban scales: the monumental one from the University buildings and the domestic scale of the adjacent residential neighborhood. In second place, the integration of different functions coexisting together: the students´ use of the educational surrounding buildings and the residential use of the adjacent borough. In addition, climate conditions were analysed at the very beginning of the process in order to have a deep understanding of the design strategies which needed to be incorporated to minimize the energy consumption of the proposal.

The design was understood to incorporate sustainability features in a holistic way, rather than to add green strategies after the design was defined. For such purpose, three main objectives were set: low energy demand; integration of renewable energy systems; and zero carbon emissions.

The result is a building shaped by a series of strategies that guarantees occupants´comfort and minimises its environmental impact. Solar studies were analysed in order to guarantee solar access in all spaces. And natural daylighting was simulated in order to deliver spaces with good natural light quality and levels. Similarly, cross ventilation is achieved in all spaces, consequently lowering the need for mechanical ventilation systems. The building was conceived as a compact-shaped object in order to minimise its exposure to the outdoors and to make use of the solar and internal gains for passive heating purposes in winter. For summer periods, shading devices integrated in the architecture avoid the building from overheating, especially with the existing solar radiation levels in this latitude. The use of thermal mass together with thermal insulation allows the building to minimize its dependence on mechanical systems in both summer and winter periods. Also a responsible use of water consumption was analysed, and a water harvesting system was incorporated in the proposal. Finally, energy efficient systems were thought to manage energy efficiently.